Adomi peretzschner



May "10, 1932- A. PFRE'rzsC'HNER 1,857,658

- APPARATUS FORl STUNNING `ANIMALS TO BE SLAUGHTERED Filed Jan. 29. 1930 l Patented May 10, 1932 ADOLF PFRETZSCHNEB,

Vor rAsING, 'NEAR MUNICH, GERMANY A APPARATUS FOR STUNNING ANIMALS T BE SLA'UGHTERED Application led January 29, 1930, Serial No. 424,386, and in Germany February 6, '1929.

This invention relates to an apparatus for stunnmg animals to be slaughtered, especially pigs, by means of electric current. IIt consists in a movable gangway, along which the.

animals are driven, with movable electric current contacts arranged one after the other, which come to bear consecutively on the back or flanks and on the head or nose of the animal, when it reaches and strikes against the contacts barring the passage in the gangway.

The gangway may be composed of an endless band, preferably constituted of links and which runs either horizontally or on an upward' incline. In the iirst instance, if the gangway is horizontal, an upwardly inclined and a downwardly inclined bridge are arranged at the front and rear ends of the gangway, and in the second case, when the gangwav is inclined, a suitably raised table is provided at the rear end of the gangway, onto which the stunned animal is removed from the gangway. When continuous current is used, two pole contacts are provided and, when three phase current is employed three pole contacts are utilized, in the latter in- 'l stance so that two poles bear one on each flank of the animals body and the third on its head.

Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows the apparatus in side elevation,

Fig. 2 is a modification of Fig. 1, also in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows a diderent arrangement of the current contacts in top plan view.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 4.

An endless band 1 of suitable width, prefer'- ably composed of links of material capable of carrying the weight of the animal. runs over two or more drums 9. 9 and is intended for conveying the animal over the distance between the drums. If the drums are arranged above the floor, a rising bridge 2 leads up to the band and a downwardly inclined bridge 3 is provided at the end of the band, down 50 which the stunned animal slides. The band 1 runs horizontally over the drums and is matic cut out switch 8 driven by hand by means of a crank or by means of a motor 10. If-it is preferable to l, convey the stunned animal onto a table, the

band 1 is upwardly inclined one of the drums 11 being for instance of greater diameter than 55' the other drum 11. The table 6 is arranged at the end ofthe band. When the band stands free, a railing 12 is arranged at each side thereof. y Movable contacts are arranged l consecutively above the band 1 so that the no animal on the band and transported therewith'must strike against same. These contacts are mounted on suitable supports, for Y example on the railings 12, oscillatable against the action of springs 15. They conen sist preferably of flaps, which bar the space above the band 1 and between the railings 12. According to theconstructions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the first encountered contact flap 4, which is oscillatably mounted on the railings around the hinges 13, is shorter than the followingcontact flap 5, oscillatable on the hinges 14. Both contact flaps are held in vertical oscillatable position by their springs 15, and each contact flap is pole of the electric circuit. The shorter the head onto theback of the animal, the nose ing flap 1 f the anlmal strik againstthe second Contact 5. The animal thus closes the circuit from its nose through su its brain to. its back and is therefore stunned.

In order to limit the duration of the closing of the circuit, onel of the contacts may be connected to acircuit breaker, for exam-l ple a sliding contact 7 which interrupts the 85 current when the contact flap 5 has been oscillated through a certain angle. An auto- (see Fig. 3) may be connected to the motor circuit and' interrupt this motor circuit in the case of overloading. Such overloading may be produced, if thc anilnal becomes stubborn and stands transversely to the band, jammed between the railings.

- swivelably mounted on a vertical axle 16, 16

respectively and opening .like the wings of a connected to one 15 According to the arrangement of contacts y.a separate pole and the 'stunning of the animal.

swin door. Both contacts 4; are

homopolar and ear against the two flanks of vthe ani- -mals body. The next following contact 5 is `oscillatable on a horizontal axle 14 like the iiap 5 shown in Fig. 1.

When employing three phase current, each of the flaps shown in Fig. 4 is connected to pole. As the head of the tween these flaps 4 transversely through the brains, and instantaneously hereafter the nose of the animal touches the flap 5. In this instance the closing of the circuit is effected from the nose of th-e animal through the brain to the two Hank contacts. Thus the reliability of the circuit closing is increased, as, if one pole contact fails through bearing badly or through the bristles or wool of the animal, a second circuit closure is available, whereas the double circuit closure effects a more intensive In order to prevent the failure of the circuit closing, owing to the insulating bristles or fleece of the animal inthe case of pigs and sheep respectively, contacts made of moisture absorbing material, for -example felt, are used which are saturated with moisture. For the continual moisten ing of these contacts they can be connected with liquid containers. It is a known fact that, even in the case of good conducting contacts the vclosure of the circuit does not have a suflicient stunning eii'ect on the animal and that the maximum penetrating force of the current occurs, when the circuit animal engages be- Y is being opened or closed. In order to duplioscillatably arranged above cate this method of operation, a rotary switch with a number of consecutive contact breakers may be provided. This switch may be operated by hand or by a suitable driving mechanism, so that it switches the current in and out several times during the passage of an animal through the contact flaps. OW- ing to this repeated closing of the circuit the insulating resistance between the contacts and the body of the animal are more easily bridged.

The contact i'aps and the travelling band may be of different construction from that shown in the drawings without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim 1.` In an apparatus for stunning animals to be slaughtered the combination of a travelling path adapted to convey the animals to be slaughtered, railings at either side of and along said travelling path, electric` contacts said travelling path and adapted to lbear consecutivelyl on the body of the animal.

2. An apparatus as specified in claim l, in which the contacts are composed of springcontrolled swinging flaps.

3. In an apparatus for stunningv animals to be slaughtered the combination of a travelflap 5 to the third a current impulse passes ling path adapted to convey the animals to be slaughtere two electric contacts oscillatably arranged consecutively above said travelling path, one of said contacts extending onto the back of the animal and the other of said contacts onto the nose of said animal..

4. In an apparatus for stunning animals to be slaughtered the combination of a travelling path adapted to convey the animals to be slaughtered, electric contacts, movably arranged consecutivelyabove said travelling path one of said contacts horizontally oscillatable and adapted to bear laterally against the body of the animal the other of said contacts vertically oscillatable and adapted to bear against the head of the animal.

In an apparatus for stunning-animals to be slaughtered the combination of a travelling path adapted to convey said animals to be slaughtered, electric arranged above said travelling path and adapted to bear consecutively against the body of said animal, a circuit breaker arranged on one of said contacts and actuated by said contact on turning.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ADOLF PFRETZSCHN ER. 

